Case description
Anton Yanchuk, the former head of the ARMA, and three members of a criminal group are suspected of illegal embezzlement of material evidence of the Agency.
According to the investigation, in February–July 2019, the former head of the ARMA Anton Yanchuk, the former director of SE SETAM Viktor Vyshniov, lawyer Andrii Dovbenko, and Ihor Bahniuk illegally sold the property transferred to their management. The alleged damage is estimated at UAH 400 million. The case involves 4 episodes:
- Three land plots in Odesa region, earlier purchased to construct shopping malls, were sold at price 18 times lower than market value;
- 2,600 tons of river sand of medium and fine fraction in Kyiv region sold for more than six times lower prices;
- More than 4500 tons of urea sold almost five times cheaper than market value;
- Cereals, wheat, and oilseeds were sold at four times cheaper than market value.
Eleven individuals have been charged in the case. Among the defendants are the former head of the ARMA's central office, a specialist from the Enterprise Development Department of SE SETAM, two appraisers, the founder and director of a private company, and four lawyers.
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The scheme might have functioned as follows: seized property was transferred to the ARMA under the pretext of enforcing court decisions, and later it was sold under the explanation that the assets were perishable and could quickly lose their value. The defendant ensured proper justification that the respective seized assets were difficult to manage, problematic for storage, or perishable and could quickly lose their market value. The property was appraised by a shell company at a significantly reduced value, and the assets were sold at an auction organized by SE SETAM with a predetermined winner.
Yanchuk, on his part, allegedly lobbied the adoption of required regulations that created the illusion of legality of their manipulations with the seized property for the benefit of the criminal group. Dovbenko, according to investigators, ensured control over the ARMA's operation, from the transfer of the seized property to the ARMA to its actual sale.
The defendants are charged under Article 191(5) and Article 364(2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This case is known as the “barbecue case” because the suspects referred to the property sold as “barbecue” and the process of selling it as “frying.” In 2023, Andrii Dovbenko, the organizer of this criminal group, was put on the wanted list.
